Red Maple tree named ‘Frank Jr.’

ABSTRACT

A variety of Red Maple which combines an upright pyramidal form with a distinctly straight central leader, unusually dark summer foliage, bright red fall color.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Acer rubrum.

Variety denomination: ‘Frank Jr.’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Beginning in 1984, I planted a number of the cultivars of Acer rubrumtogether in J. Frank Schmidt, Jr. Arboretum in Boring, Oreg. As thesegrew, they began to cross pollinate and set seed. In the spring of 1992,I gathered seed from these trees that had fallen to the ground. As theseeds of these trees are wind dispersed samaras, it was not possible todetermine which individual trees were the parents of each seed. Theseseed were planted in a nursery seedbed in Boring, Oreg., and quicklygerminated. I planted out a number of the best seedlings in a nurseryrow in the spring of 1993 and grew them on to larger size. Over the 1994and 1995 growing seasons, I evaluated these seedlings.

The original tree of my new variety was transplanted during the springof 1996 into a long term trial block, where I continued my evaluation. Idirected propagation of my new variety of tree on Acer rubrum rootstockfor growing and further evaluation in J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. nurserygrounds in Boring, Oreg. and Canby, Oreg. Through this evaluationprocess, I determined that my new cultivar ‘FRANK JR.’ possessed aunique and valuable set of characteristics.

Subsequent asexual propagation under my direction by budding on Acerrubrum understock, by softwood cutting propagation, and bymicropropagation have all shown that the characteristics of my new treeare firmly fixed in successive generations.

Classification: In recent years, some authors have reclassified somecultivars of Acer rubrum as the hybrid species Acer×freemanii. A few ofthe seed and pollen producing trees in the Arboretum that contributed tomy seed supply could be classified by these authors as Acer×freemanii.There is not complete agreement on this issue among experts. My beliefis that Acer rubrum and Acer×freemanii form a species complex withvarious degrees of genetic introgression. In this patent application,Acer rubrum is used in the broader, traditional sense. My new cultivarappears closest in characteristics to the species Acer rubrum and isthus classified.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This new cultivar possesses a unique combination of characteristics inthat it combines an upright pyramidal form with a strong straightcentral leader, dark green summer foliage, and bright red fall color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The colors of an illustration of this type may vary with lightingconditions and, therefore, color characteristics of this new varietyshould be determined with reference to the observations describedherein, rather than from these illustrations alone.

FIG. 1 illustrates the tree in summer (July), with the dark greenfoliage and upright pyramidal form.

FIG. 2 illustrates the tree in October in fall color.

FIG. 3 illustrates the dormant tree in November, showing branchinghabit, pyramidal form, and dominant central leader.

FIG. 4 illustrates the tree in March, in flower.

FIG. 5 is a close up of the flowers.

FIG. 6 is a close-up of summer foliage, showing typical leaf shape andcolor.

FIG. 7 is a close-up of some Fall foliage, showing peak fall color.

FIG. 8 is a close-up of some fruit (samaras) when ripe, taken in lateApril.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description of the ‘Frank Jr.’ variety is basedon observations of the original tree growing in Boring, Oreg. and of oneand two year old asexually propagated progeny. The observed progeny weretrees which were growing on Acer rubrum rootstock in Boring, Oreg. andin Canby, Oreg. All color references are based on The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart.

-   Scientific name: Acer rubrum ‘Frank Jr.’.-   Parentage: Seed parent.—Unknown, an open pollinated Acer rubrum    seeding.-   Tree: Unless otherwise noted, observations are from the original    tree at about 10 years of age.    -   -   Overall shape.—Pyramidal with a strong central leader.        -   Height.—7.0 meters.        -   Width.—3.6 meters.        -   Caliper.—10.1 cm at 1 meter above ground.        -   Trunk.—Sturdy, round in cross section.        -   Trunk bark texture.—Smooth.        -   Trunk bark color.—Immature bark color: Greyed-green 197A to            197B. Mature bark color: Greyed-green 197B to 198D.            Lenticels: None apparent.        -   Primary branches.—Sturdy, radiating outward and upward,            symmetrically from the central trunk. Angle of attachment            averages 70 degrees. Branch diameter measured 10 cm from            trunk averages 27% of the diameter of the trunk, indicating            good central dominance.        -   Branch color.—Greyed-orange 174D to 177A.        -   Branch lenticels.—Present on current season shoots, then            becoming unnoticeable over the next two seasons as the bark            ages. On current season shoots: 1-3 mm long×0.5 mm wide,            color Yellow-white 158A.        -   Dormant buds.—Greyed-red 179A. Two buds per node, opposite.            Ovoid, laterally flattened, 4 mm long×4 mm wide×2 mm thick.        -   Internodes.—Average length 7.2 cm.        -   Hardiness.—Based on limited freeze testing, mid-winter            hardiness is believed to be USDA Zone 4.        -   Disease resistance.—Good resistance to Pseudomonas syringae            leaf spot, based on field observations in Oregon.        -   Insect resistance.—Good resistance to two-spotted spider            mite, based on field observations in Oregon.-   Leaves: Except as otherwise noted, observations are averages from    twenty typical vigorous growth leaves.    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Sheen.—Very slight glossiness.        -   Length.—10.2 cm.        -   Width.—11.3 cm.        -   Petioles.—7.1 cm long×1.5 mm thick, Greyed-red 181A on the            portions exposed to full sun, and Yellow-green 153A on the            shaded portions.        -   Overall shape.—Palmate with three major lobes and two minor            lobes, the minor lobes sometimes being missing.        -   Margin.—Irregularly serrate to crenate-serrate.        -   Tip.—Acute to acuminate.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Stipules.—None.        -   Spring leaf color of first emerging leaves.—Greyed-red 181A            on first emerging. This color becomes an overtone, combined            with Green 138A as leaves expand.        -   Summer leaf color.—Upper leaf surface: Green 131A to 139A.            Lower leaf surface: Greyed-green 188B to 190B. Vein:            Yellow-green 145B.        -   Fall leaf color.—Red 46A.        -   Fall leaf color timing: Average of 2003 and 2004 season            dates in Boring, Oreg.:        -   First autumn color.—September 25 .        -   Peak autumn color.—October 9.        -   Full defoliation.—October 27.        -   Pubescence.—Leaves are glabrous above, sparsely pubescent on            veins of underside with a few scattered dark brown thickened            hairs on underside of leaf blade.        -   Persistence.—Tree is deciduous.-   Flowers: Observations are from representative flower samples    observed in Boring, Oreg.    -   -   Overall.—A small sessile umbel of five to six flowers,            tightly held and surrounded by four bud scales, with the            flower cluster appearing oval to urn shaped with flaring            styles. The tree only produces pistillate (female) flowers.        -   Shape.—Individual flowers are flattened in one dimension            with flaring styles.        -   Size.—Individual flowers are 4 mm wide×5 mm tall. The flower            clusters are 6-7 mm in diameter.        -   Flower buds.—2 mm to 3 mm wide×4-6 mm long, ovoid.        -   Color.—Unopened buds: Greyed-purple 183A. Opened flower: The            overall flower cluster appears Greyed-purple 183C to            Greyed-purple 185A.        -   Petals and sepals.—Reduced to a series of five each,            indistinguishable in appearance, rounded, each 1 mm high×1            mm wide, Red 53 A.        -   Stamen.—Nonfunctional and petaloid. Reduced to a series of            generally six petaloid appendages on the flower inside of            petals and sepals. 1 mm high×0.5 mm wide.        -   Anthers.—Non-functional, reduced to less than 1 mm,            petaloid, Red 53A.        -   Pistil.—Style is short, 1-2 mm, then divides into two long            stigmas, each 2-3 mm long×0.5 mm wide, velvety texture,            Red-purple 185A.        -   Pollen.—None.        -   Pedicel.—Length: 2 mm. Width: 0.5 mm. Color: Yellow-green            144C when in first emerging, then changing to Greyed-purple            185A as flowers and seeds mature.        -   Pubescence.—Flowers are glabrous except stigmas which are            velvety and flower bud scales which are tomentose,            especially at the margins.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Flowering date.—Based on 2003 data, in Boring, Oreg. First            bloom: February 25. Peak boom: March 10. End of bloom: March            16.-   Fruit: Observations are from a sampling of typical fruit. The fruit    is a samara, held in pairs by a pedicel in custers of four to six.    The samara is attached at the seed end and the wings diverge at a 20    to 30 degree angle. The samaras are striated with a thickened keel    on the outer edge with a thin and papery wing.    -   -   Size.—26 mm×8 mm×2 mm thick at seed end.        -   Shape.—Asymmetrically elongated with wing which becomes            papery thin.        -   Lenticels.—None.        -   Color.—When first formed, samaras are Greyed-purple 185A. As            they ripen, they turn to Greyed-orange 165C to 165D.        -   Seeds.—Oval, 5 mm×3 mm×1 mm thick, slightly pointed at the            attachment end. Greyed-orange 174B to 166B.        -   Fruit production.—Sparse, few fruits produced, only sets            seed in occasional years.        -   Fruit maturity.—Based on 2004 data, fruit matures and drops            from tree April 30 to May 5.        -   Usage.—None.            Comparison to Other Varieties:

Compared to observed specimens of the popular cultivars ‘Franksred’ and‘Jeffersred’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,864, ‘Frank Jr.’ has a distinctlystraighter central leader when measured on nursery grown two year oldtrees. The average measurements for the angle of deflection fromvertical of the terminal 30 cm of the central leader of 10 trees eachdemonstrates this:

Central Leader Variance from Vertical ‘Frank Jr.’  5.5 degrees‘Franksred’ 14.1 degrees ‘Jeffersred’ 13.1 degreesComparison to the parent species:

-   Growth rate: My new variety is significantly faster growing than    typical Acer rubrum, growing to an average of 2.72 meters as a one    year old tree in nursery conditions in Boring, Oreg., vs. 2.35    meters for Acer rubrum.-   Crown form: My new variety develops an upright pyramidal form, while    typical Acer rubrum trees are oval to rounded.-   Straight leader: My new variety develops a very straight central    leader, averaging 5.5 degrees variance from vertical measured on the    top 30 cm of two year old trees, while typical Acer rubrum trees    have leaders with an average variance from vertical 13.9 degrees.-   Summer foliage: My new variety has summer foliage that is very dark    green on the upper surface and light in color on the underside.    Compared to observed specimens of Acer rubrum, ‘Frank Jr.’ has    distinctly darker leaves, measured by the mid-summer upper leaf    surface.

Upper leaf surface Lower leaf surface ‘Frank Jr.’ Green 131A to 139AGreyed-green 188B to 190B Acer rubrum Green 137A Greyed-green 191A

-   Fall foliage: My new variety has fall foliage color that is bright    red, Red 46A. Typical Acer rubrum trees are variable in color,    typically developing shades of yellow, orange, or red.-   Flowers: Compared to observed specimens of Acer rubrum, the flowers    of ‘Frank Jr.’ has distinctly short pedicels and styles.

Pedicel Style ‘Frank Jr.’ 2 mm 1-2 mm Acer rubrum 4 mm  5 mm

1. A new and distinct variety of Red Maple tree, substantially as hereinshown and described.